Xavier's POVAs I stormed out of the kitchen, the anger boiling inside me was barely contained. My hands itched to hit something, but I knew better than to lash out in my own home, especially not with Ivy around. Ella's words kept echoing in my mind, the hurt and accusation in her voice piercing through me like a blade. Claudia—this was her doing.I paced up and down the hall as I reached for my phone, fingers flying across the screen.What the hell did you tell Ella? I sent the message and then waited, my chest rising and falling with every deep breath I took. Anger was simmering inside my skin, ready to spill over at any moment. This time Claudia had crossed a line, and she wasn't going to get away with it.It wasn't until a few seconds later that my phone buzzed its reply.Claudia replied: Nothing much, in a very smugly written text if that was possible. Just told her about the rough fucks we used to do and how passion would flare up between us. Thought she deserved to know,.My ho
CLAUDIA'S POVI clicked send and watched as the images were delivered to Ella. My heartbeat increased in anticipation as I awaited a response from Ella. The photos of Xavier, unconscious on the bed, his shirt undone, and hair tousled, were too perfect— they would leave her shattered, questioning everything. She would never trust him again, and it got even better: I didn't have to touch him to make that happen. It took only the right angle, the right light.A chill, smug smile curled in the corner of my lips. This phone felt heavy in my hand with the weight of its powerful ammo, and for the first time in a long time, I was on top. Ella had played innocent for far too long, but now, finally, I had her. I had something she could never take back.And Xavier. he would never set eyes on her again.Yet I was far from finished. No, this was only the beginning.I pulled out Alex's number in one swipe. He was one of the few people in Xavier's life who had any idea what game we were playing. He'
Claudia's POVI stepped out of the hotel with a sly, curling smile on my lips as my heart throbbed along with the echo of my heels against the marble floor. Thick in the hallway air was the aftermath of my sin, a twisted satisfaction rolling inside me like sweet poison. I nodded slightly at the security guard as I passed, catching his bare glance in return. Well, they might as well remain ignorant. They were nothing but backdrop-nothing more-for the Hell that I had now created.I came to the parking garage and slid into my slick black car. It was a flawless machine, perfect, as flawless as my plotting was. My palms drummed on the steering wheel with excitement, and in one moment, a manic laugh exploded from within me. This was it. I had Xavier right where I wanted him. Because, for far too long, I'd been forced to sit and suffer while he pined after that plain little nurse like some kind of lovesick fool. It was pathetic. But now? Now, the tables had turned.The pictures were out ther
Ella's POVI stood in the kitchen, absently wiping the counter as my brain had become a mess of thoughts and emotions that churned within me. I didn't know what to think or feel anymore. That conversation with Claudia still swirled in my head-twisting, nagging, like some splinter buried deep beneath my skin. She had planted seeds of doubt so effortlessly; her words circled my mind like vultures, waiting for me to break. I hated how easily she'd rattled me.Xavier was just a little too good to be true, no? The heart of it all? Every cold flirtation, every calculated look he threw my way, it all felt too perfectly set up, too staged in his head. Would a person like him ever be able to care about a person like me? I scowled at my reflection in the window. Foolish. I'd been so foolish to even hope—My phone buzzed on the counter, and I came out of my spiraling thoughts. I let out a sigh, wiping my hands with a towel that was lying nearby, and picked it up. The notification on the screen w
Xavier's POVI woke up in a start, the harsh sunlight slicing through the window, piercing through my bleary eyes. For a moment, I just lay there, disoriented-just feel the softness of sheets beneath me and the lingering scent of cheap perfume hanging in the air. Confusion clouded my mind in attempts to piece together remnants of last night. My body felt like it was made out of lead-as if I'd taken a hit from a freight train. I blinked hard, forcing the fog to clear, but the details of the previous evening danced just out of reach.I leveraged myself up onto my elbows and looked around. It was a luxurious hotel room, as one would expect; still, there was a something missing-a certain eeriness in the stillness of the air. Swinging my legs over the edge, I planted my feet onto the cool hardwood floor. A dull throbbing pulsed in my head and I groaned as fragments swam in my head. Claudia. What the hell happened?I reached to my feet, and the weight from last night came crashing down. Sta
XAVIER'S POV I strode into the office, my steps purposeful and measured. The power coursing through each cell in my body seemed to hum off me like an uncontrollable energy source. The moment I strode through the threshold, heads turned-secretaries, junior executives, all of them. Their gazes clung to me, whispers surely circulating behind my back, but I didn't care. Their petty thoughts were irrelevant. Not today.Claudia had overplayed her hand.And she was going to find out what happens when one tries to outplay me.The instant I stepped into my office, her scent, her energy, hit me-nervous. She paced by the window, her back to me. I didn't need to see her face to know she was scared. Good.I silently shut the door, the sharp click of the lock turning her to ice. It was then that she slowly turned around, and the instant our eyes met, her fear became palpable. Stiffening from head to toe, she parted her lips to say something- some weak defense, no doubt. I could almost smell the re
Ella's POVThe air felt heavy today-that kind where everything weighs one down and the whole world has come to a standstill. I sat on the couch, my arms loosely hugging Ivy, nestled against me, with her tiny frame so innocent and warm. Her laughter echoed through the room as Cocomelon played from the TV, bright colors and songs lighting up the screen.She pointed to the screen, giggling, "Mommy, look! JJ!"But I really wasn't there. My mind was elsewhere, clouded by that whirlwind of emotions spinning inside me, chaotic pieces I couldn't control, let alone make sense of.This just wasn't supposed to be this hard.The coolness of the ring on my finger touched my skin like a cold reminder of a lie that I had committed to. A contract, a deal-what was the meaning of all that? Had Xavier ever seen me-really seen me-beyond the terms and conditions of this mess that we so called a marriage?"Mommy, JJ!Ivy's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "Yes, sweetheart, I see him," I said, forcing a
Ella's POVThe silence in the car was suffocating, save the soft hum of the motor and Ivy's occasional babbles from the backseat. I couldn't look at her, not yet. I had to keep my thoughts straight, had to remind myself of the facts.Three months. Three months of pretending this was something it wasn't. The contract had been clear-stay at my place for three months, keep up appearances, and then we'd move into his mansion. That's all it was, a deal. And now it was over.I tried telling myself I could keep things neutral-keep things at room temperature between us. No warmth, no heat, no emotion. Xavier was just a man I had agreed to marry for the sake of convenience, for Ivy's future. Nothing more. I really needed to stop pretending it was something else, that this was something real.But it still ached, an ache heavy in my chest, twisting with every breath I took. It wasn't supposed to hurt this badly, I kept reminding myself. It wasn't supposed to feel so personal. I knew what I was g
XAVIER'S POV I obeyed the president's words and took my seat. As I did that, I still couldn't get a grip over the waves of emotions soaring in my chest. I flashed him a glance and I noticed the plain glint of remorse in his eyes.For quite a long time now, the president had been hiding something. I knew that for sure but what didn't know was why. Anytime he tried to talk to me, either Madame Browne or Lucas comes in and intrudes but this time around, there's no rooms for games.My heart thumped wildly in my chest as I took my seat and my chest heaved. I stared back at the president expecting him to start an explanation but instead, he stood up and walked over to the door which he locked before walking back to where I was.I wasn't sure what it was but I could tell for a fact that something was about to go down. Something dark. Something ground shattering.I steadied the uneven gasps rippling through my lips and turned back to him. The president's eyes turned dark almost immediately a
XAVIER'S POV.I strolled into the hallway slowly with the weight of Ella's gaze still pressing against my back. Ignoring it, I continued and walked over to the elevator where I tapped the button leading in. As the doors chimed open, I stepped into it and locked my arms.I watched the doors close and yet I could feel her gaze on me. It layered over my skin, tracing delicate patterns that made it nearly impossible to keep a steady heartbeat. A cloud of sweats loomed over my forehead and upon several intervals, I'd wipe them off swiftly.The cold droplets of sweat trickled down the side of my face as I clenched my fists. My mind wasn't at ease. I had a lot of unanswered questions. First was why did the president acknowledge dying soon?What did he mean?I was just about to ponder on the questions when the thought of his mention of Madame Browne and Lucas punched through my mind. My heart palpitated but I stayed still, feeling a surge of dread in me as I thought of them.I shook my head s
ELLA'S POV I couldn't wait to get home.I had to tell him.Xavier deserved to know everything. He deserved to know that Rochelle wasn't really pregnant. He deserved to know that Cassandra worked for Madame Browne and is probably trying to kill the president and most of all, he deserved to know one thing, the one news I hadn't really told anyone else.I'm pregnant.The main reason my eyes watered in tears back there when we were walking out of the building was when I thought of the chances of losing him and the thought of Madame Browne winning over us.We couldn't allow that, at least not when we have a lot at risk. The wind from the side glasses in the helicopter jostled sharply at me as I pulled closer to Xavier and locked my arms tighter with his.As I did that, I caught the soft whiffs of his cologne in the air. I waited patiently until we finally arrived at the tall towering figure of the mansion. From the top view, I caught the sight of the maids going about doing their respecti
XAVIER'S POV.I could feel their gazes on me.It loomed over me as I strutted into the room with rage boiling in my veins. Despite the fact that I hadn't fully recovered, I had to be there. Ella had done enough for me. All through the weeks of my Coma, she stepped up into a role as demanding as the acting CEO just to secure my spot in all the meeting needed in the meeting. I balled my fists as the rippling sound of gasps braced my ears in an unsolicited welcome.I pushed forward, my feet moving gently as I traced my step into the room with my wife or should I now say, my assistant, strutting beside me. Her arms locked against mine, the soft whiffs of her perfume surging into my nostrils.I brushed off some unseen dusts on my suit as I stared back at the figure of my shocked nemesis. His electrifying green eyes stared back at me as my lips curled into a smile. I dusted off my suit again, giving him the hint that it was the exact one I wore before getting involved in the accident they
XAVIER'S POV Dear reader, I'm just as shocked as you. I couldn't believe I made it. I thought I died but when my eyes fluttered open, it was to the sight of a doctor staring back at me with a shocked look on his face. A gasp rippled through his lips as he stared at me.I stretched my hands to yawn and as I did that, I was repelled by the casts placed over my hands. I look up at the ceiling as I wondered where in god's green earth I was.Most importantly, where was he?Where was the man who was hired by Madame Browne to kill me?The doctor in front of me ran out of the room and raced out like he had seen a demon. I yawned and raced my back a little. I searched the entire room with my gaze and I immediately remembered where I was.This was an hospital.It was obvious.The ridiculously big machines surrounding me and the wires fixed to me. I arched my brow as I tugged off the wires and stepped out of the bed. As my feet touched the base of the floor, I was about to crash into it when I
ELLA'S POV The next few weeks blurred by and I had to go to over many meetings. It was stressful but I did it anyways. I didn't have a choice. I had to hold down the position for Xavier.Speaking of Xavier, I'm sure you're curious as to what happened to him. I'll be your host. After the surgery which he survived, he was placed on a cast and was in a comma for a few days.My heart still shook in my chest whenever I thought of him. I shook my head as I tried to take it off my mind. That particular morning, I had to go drop off Ivy at her school when Alex, Jason's assistant called me.“Mrs Ella… we need you at the office immediately. There is another meeting.” His voice beamed and I threw my fists in the air out of frustration. A cloud of sweats formed on my forehead and I wiped them off with some rolling down my face.“Here’s your backpack Ivy.” I said and gave Ivy her backpack. “Madeline, we will be going now. Thanks for breakfast it was delicious as always.” I remarked and even befo
ELLA'S POV “We're here, Ma'am!” The hushed voice of the driver pulled me out of my train of thoughts and as I pulled out of thoughts, I flashed my gaze at the figure beside me. Penny's eyes loomed brightly with concern as she gripped my hands and asked, “Do you want me to come in with you?”A weary smile tugged at my lips as my voice creaked out, “No… I'll do just fine Madame Browne has nothing on me.”I saw her lips pull open as if aiming at saying something else but before she could even muster up enough words, I interrupted, “Driver, you can take Penny back to her apartment.” The driver nodded and I pulled my hands from Penny's loosening grip as I stared back into her sad eyes. “Ella, are you sure?” She slurred her words and they shook several waves of fear down my spine. As her words loomed into the air, I felt a stifling wave of fear log into my chest as I pressed my lips into a tight smile. I nodded slowly, clenching my jaw as I assured her. After our little conversation, I
ELLA'S POV When my eyelids fluttered open, it was to a sight I would forever loathe. He was there. Right there. Lifeless and clinging to the frayed edges of life.He was laid lifelessly on the bed with a wave of wires fixed into his body. I still couldn't believe this was the same mine who made love to me earlier today. Xavier. I remembered the soft, pleasing sound of his voice and the sweet promises he made to me. I remembered how he chuckled at the mention of revealing who Madame Browne and Lucas really were to the media.A stinging sensation prickled my vision as tears filled my eyes. I wiped it off immediately, forcing my eyes to blink quickly to hold back the tears. I had to be strong… at least for him and for my daughter, Ivy.It would break him to see me cry if he was conscious but sadly, he was on the edge of something I hoped wasn’t death.He was still in that hospital gown, his eyes closed, his gaze nowhere to be found. A plunging pain wrecked through me as I heard the un
ELLA'S POV The doctor's words echoed repeatedly against the inner walls of my ears as I clutched them hoping the haunting melody in my ears would stop. Like a shadow, it clung to me, playing repeatedly as tears stung my eyes.I blinked, batting my lashes as I held back the tears gathering in my eyes. When the elevator door chimed open, I leapt forward on jelly legs. The strength in my legs vanished, fading rapidly by seismic waves of shock rolling through my veins.I still couldn't believe it. Xavier was in the hospital fighting for his life.I talked to him this morning. We made love today. No. My eyes watered as I trailed towards the staircase with staggering strides. I dragged my foot into the hallway, my heart pounding heavily in my chest.The dim lighting in the room darkened as I blinked off another wad of tears, leaving the drops to trace a burning line against my cheeks. I felt numb, my body was weak and with each staggering stride I took, I could feel the life in my vein d